We Within The Trees
by Sunny the Ghostly Warrior
Summary: "We The Trees" is a forum made by my wonderful, snow-cone lover friend named Icy! (Visit it, will ya!) Anyway, these are the challenges. I do NOT own "We The Trees" along with Warriors.
1. Chapter 1

**Challenge #1 "Can You See Me, Mother?"**

My mother, the one who was supposed to raise me and care for me, doesn't see me. She acts as if I'm a ghost, ignoring my presence even if it means giving up her only kit. My small, tortoiseshell body chases after her every day, hoping that there will be some sign that she will care for me today-tomorrow-even seasons in the future. But nothing ever comes. My name? Oh- what does it matter anyway.

Anyway, by the time I became an apprentice she wasn't even in my life anymore. She didn't cheer with love, she cheered with the same tone that the warriors use when it's simply another cat getting older. She didn't come near me that day as I walked away with my mentor who actually saw me, and I could feel the pride he had in himself that he got an apprentice- I was proud too.

I remember sitting on a rock in the middle of a stream as my mentor taught me how to fish and I asked him, in a quiet voice, "Why doesn't my mother care like you do?" I can remember the silence that came afterwards as he stared at me, dropping the wiggling fish in his jaw as he stared at me for a little while. "W-What do you mean?" he had asked, but the way he glanced away proved that he knew exactly what I was talking about.

"You know." I had replied coldly, staring at the moving water as two minnows swam by. I heard him sigh and could practically feel all the thoughts that were crossing his mind as he tried to word his sentence correctly.

"I guess I do know. But I don't know why." He had meowed and watched the stream like I was and then he jumped in, splashing me in the process with a wide smile. "Yet- you shouldn't be so down! You're an apprentice and you need to have fun!" he meowed and tilted his head with a closed-eye smile. His mistake.

I took the opportunity and grabbed a fish we had caught earlier and threw it at him. "Catch!" He opened his eyes widely after the fish hit him and backpedaled before realizing that his fresh-kill was floating down the stream. He chased after it desperately and came back soaking wet with half the fish in his jaws, his ears pulled back as he looked at me annoyed. I remember how I broke down laughing and he soon joined me, and for once it seemed like my laugh echoed off the land instead of falling on deaf ears.

I felt like I was heard.

He had then told me about how he was ignored by his father because he wasn't the strongest in the litter, but said once he confronted his father it helped him a lot and his father saw him like his brothers. "You should try it." Those words had stayed in my brain the whole night and I continued to think about them, even when I was half asleep.

Now, I'm standing in front of the she-cat who ignored me all my life, her face filled with blank curiosity and absolute annoyance while mine probably radiated hope and determination. "Why are you ignoring me." I said and I couldn't help but notice how it wasn't a question, it was more of a statement. So simple, so clear and yet she didn't get it.

"What do you mean?"

"Tell me why you've ignored me all my life."

She glanced at me and tilted her head, her next words catching me off guard and making my mind question everything. I can tell you that I'll never get over it, no matter how much talking my mentor does, no matter how many days I train. I'll never get over the words my mother said.

"Who are you?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Challenge #2 "When I See You Again."**

"Spottedheart." A small voice said behind me and I turn to the medicine cat apprentice, a bright soul named Beechpaw. She's always helping me, the last elder in RiverClan. At least for now anyway.

I can't help but want the grip of death to reach me, pick me up and bring me to StarClan. I feel as if I belong there will my friends, my family. Everyone resides there.

My mate, Sorrelpelt. My mother, Dappleclaw. My father, Brightfur. My sister, Whitetuft. Everyone left me, even my kit, Twigkit. They are all gone and I just sit in this ragged old den, waiting for the time to come for me to join them.

"Thinking of the old times?" she asked as she replaced the leaves that coated my destroyed leg, making me shudder as the breeze hit its skin. Even after all this time, over fifty moons, his injury still holds me down. I nod in response and she presses a gentle paw on my injury, making me wince. "Why don't you tell me about it while I rearrange your splint?"

I blink and smile at her, watching her start to work on my wound. "I can help you discover yourself as we take a trip down memory lane, and to the day I got this permanent-"

"Temporary."

"-Temporary injury." I chuckle hoarsely at her. She's always telling me that it'll get better, my wound will heal and I'll be up and running again, even if I am an elder. I'm still young-ish, but my injury made me retire at seventy-two moons and now I sit, waiting for her to begin putting the herbs on my leg as I begin the tale.

"It was dark; the whole Clan was almost silent. The only thing that could be heard where the quiet squeals of the kits in the nursery- but even then it was quiet. I was on edge, the chill of the air coming into the well-built warrior den. I could feel the others, even my parents, on edge as well as we all glanced outside. There were four cats, all from ThunderClan and they looked… threatening. The leader was talking, but I couldn't hear. I wasn't sure of anything, then they attacked. Not just the four cats, all of ThunderClan seemed to rain down on us, killing so many in the process. Our leader died, our deputy died and so many others fell with them, but we chased them out. Nothing more should be said, the only thing good that came out of it was new kits, new Clan, new life. But I'm still trapped, with this wound the ThunderClan leader gave me."

I glance over at Beechpaw, who had fell silent when the story got to the deaths. She hiccupped and I sighed, blinking at her. "Don't let it get to you though, Beechpaw. My story doesn't belong in this time, not now anyway."

She continued with my wound, silent as a butterfly's wings. I couldn't help but feel a little smile creep up on my face as she reacted to my story. For once, my tale didn't fall on deaf ears. Maybe soon, I can rejoin my companions and see her as the true medicine cat she really is. Maybe… Just maybe…


End file.
